


forever and always

by perksofbeingabooknerd



Category: Nothing Much to Do
Genre: F/M, Tattoo, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-31
Updated: 2014-12-31
Packaged: 2018-03-04 12:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3068735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perksofbeingabooknerd/pseuds/perksofbeingabooknerd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You do realize that tattoos are forever, right?"<br/>"Yes, Bea, I'm not stupid."</p>
            </blockquote>





	forever and always

**Author's Note:**

> this was a prompt requested by puppets-and-papercranes.tumblr.com:
> 
> "please write about a ship (literally any ship) that have to draw different tattoos for each other that sum up the other person but no one knows what the tattoo is gonna be until it’s already tattooed on them (even if they’re both really shitty artists)"

”You want to do WHAT?” Beatrice said incredulously.

Out of all the ridiculous ideas her boyfriend had come up with, this definitely took the cake.

"Come on, Bea, it’ll be fun!" Ben insisted. "Besides, I think it will be a nice little bonding activity for us."

"You do realize that tattoos are forever, right?"

"Yes, Bea, I’m not stupid."

Bea continued to protest, but she didn’t stop him from drawing out her tattoo on a piece of paper. When she tried to take a peek, he tutted at her and shielded the paper with his arm.

"You better not be drawing a flamingo."

"I’m not THAT predictable, love. What you’re going to get is something far more majestic."

Beatrice gasped mockingly. “More majestic than a flamingo? I never thought I’d hear you say those words.”

Ben made a face at her. “Oh hush, just draw up something for me, will you? And nothing silly! It’s got to represent me. Like my drawing represents you.”

Bea snorted. “Flamingos represent you.”

He didn’t answer, focused on the drawing in front of him. She sighed. Okay, she wasn’t actually going to have him get a flamingo tattoo, even if it would amuse her to no end.

Beatrice thought for a few minutes, then begin to sketch on the piece of paper in front of her.

Twenty minutes later, they had both finished their drawings.

"Are you really not going to show me, Ben?" Beatrice asked.

"Nope!" He replied gleefully. "You will see when it’s all done!"

"Really, Benedick? Really?"

He grinned at her. “Got to have faith in me, love.”

Beatrice just sighed worriedly.

"Now, off to the tattoo shop we go!"

"I’m scared."

"I know, so am I, love."

* * *

 

Beatrice had to admit, the pain wasn’t excruciating. It wasn’t nearly as bad as when she’d broken her arm when she was ten. But it was close.

As the original rules stated, she wasn’t allowed to look until Ben’s tattoo was finished. So she sat by his chair and held his hand as the needle whirred. (If anyone asked, Ben would swear that this never happened. He didn’t need to hold Beatrice’s hand for support, he was too macho for that.) She didn’t even mind that her bicep ached from the needle. She was running on more adrenaline and relief now than nervousness.

"How you doing?" Bea asked him at one point.

"Great, just great," he replied, his voice sounding brittle.

"You’re doing fine, love," she said, rubbing her thumb over his hand soothingly. He shot her a grateful smile.

When his artist had finally finished, Bea helped Ben stand up from the chair, worrying that he might be light-headed or dizzy. When she was certain he wouldn’t pass out, she declared it was time.

"On the count of three, okay?"

"One, two, three!"

The two drew back their sleeves to reveal both their tattoos. They gaped for several seconds, then looked back at each other.

Ben let out a gleeful laugh. “That turned out better than I thought it would!”

"Okay, but a bear? Really?"

"Yes."

"Well please do explain."

Ben smiled at her fondly. “Easy. You’re a mama bear. As long as I’ve known you, you’ve always protected those close to you. You’re fierce, and you take no survivors. But you do it for your cubs. And past all that…you’re the most loving person I know.”

A wave of love surged inside Beatrice, and she couldn’t think of anything other to do than kiss her ridiculous, vulnerable, _wonderful_ boyfriend.

"Okay, now your turn. Why do I have an eagle on my arm?"

She suppressed a giggle. “Well. I know how fond you are of flamingos. Actually, I could swear you love them more than me, but…anyway. You’re obviously loads more majestic than flamingos. And eagles are majestic. So…yeah. You’re an eagle.”

"You’re such a dork."

"Ay! Look who’s talking!"

* * *

 

Later on, when they’d returned home and were admiring their new tattoos, Ben asked jokingly, “So, did this whole bonding thing work or…?”

"Nope. Not at all. I absolutely do not feel any closer to you."

"I love you, too, Beatrice."

"Oh, shut up."

**Author's Note:**

> shoutout to wibbelkind to suggesting a taylor swift lyric for the title ;)


End file.
